TUSCAN PANZANELLA SALAD

Panzanella roughly translates to bread… pane.

Small basket… zanella. T

This salad is especially wonderful when tomatoes are in season. If you want the salad to be a complete meal, add a can of rinsed and drained cannellini bean for protein.

Croutons

2 cups roughly chopped Italian bread

Place bread croutons on a baking sheet and place in a 350 degree F oven. 

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Remove and set aside.

Salad

2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half

½ English cucumber, cut in half lengthwise, and sliced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

½ red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced

¼ cup drained capers

¼ cup chopped Italian parsley

1 T chopped oregano leaves

1 T chopped basil leaves

In a large salad bowl, add the above salad ingredients and the bread croutons. 

Toss to combine.

Vinaigrette

1 clove garlic, minced

½ t Dijon mustard

¼ cup white wine or champagne vinegar

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a canning jar, add the above vinaigrette ingredients, screw on the top, and shake vigorously.

Pour as much as you want over the salad and gently toss to combine. You will have enough salad dressing for another salad.

Serves 4

BRUSCHETTE WITH RICOTTA, ARUGULA, & PROSCIUTTO

This is one of my husband's favorite bruschette.

Bruschetta (with an "a") is singular and bruschette (with an "e") is plural. Since it was just the two of us, I only made 4 appetizers, but the recipe makes 14 to 16 appetizers. This also makes a nice lunch with a glass of vino.

1 loaf Italian bread or a baguette, cut into ½-inch slices

Olive oil for brushing onto each slice of bread
1 whole large clove of garlic
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese, room temperature
Freshly ground black pepper

Zest of ½ lemon
A handful of baby arugula

12 to 16 thin slices Prosciutto di Parma
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Brush each slice of bread on both sides with olive oil.
Heat a griddle or grill pan to medium-high heat. 
Grill the bread until golden brown on both sides (you can do this in the oven and flip over when golden brown on one side).
Place bread on a baking sheet to cool slightly.

Rub the top side of bread with the garlic clove.

Stir lemon zest into ricotta cheese and season with a little black pepper.

Spread some on each slice of toasted bread, add a few arugula leaves, and top with a slice of Prosciutto.

Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil and place on a platter or board and serve. 

Buon appetito!

CAPRESE SALAD WITH ITALIAN OLIVES - Insalata Caprese

Caprese salad is one of the simplest and most delicious salads to make. Be sure to use good quality extra-virgin olive oil.

2 vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced

1 chunk whole milk mozzarella cheese, sliced

3 leaves basil, sliced

Italian black olives (Ligurian or Gaeta)

Extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Layer the tomatoes and mozzarella on two plates or one platter.
Add basil and olives.
Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 2 

LINGUINE WITH SHRIMP SCAMPI & HERBS

Normally I do not recommend cooking with extra-virgin olive oil. Save the good stuff for salad dressing, pasta salads, and finishing on already prepared food. This dish is cooked over medium heat and you can use extra-virgin olive oil.

Extra-virgin olive oil has a smoke point of around 350 degrees F.
Avocado oil has a smoke point of around 400 degrees F.
Peanut oil has a smoke point of around 435 degrees F.

½ lb linguine
4 T unsalted butter

2 T extra-virgin olive oil

½ medium yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

Pinch red pepper flakes

½ to ¾ lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon

½ cup white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or white vermouth

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup minced Italian parsley
2 T minced chives
6 large basil leaves, minced

Cook the linguine in boiling salted water until al dente, about 6 to 7 minutes.

Save ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter and olive oil.

Add the diced onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and shrimp.

Cook until the shrimp turn pink, about 3 minutes.

Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, wine, parsley, chives, basil, and pasta water.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil for a minute, then add the cooked and drained linguine.

Toss to combine.

Divide between two warm pasta bowls and serve.

Serves 2 as a main course and 4 as a first course (primi piatti)

SPAGHETTI AL POMODORINI FRESCHI - Spaghetti with Fresh Small Cherry tomatoes

Italian pasta dishes are the best when made with just a few fresh ingredients.  

I use Garofalo pasta, made since 1789 in Gragnano, a town near Naples, Italy.

It has a rough surface which holds sauce well.

You can buy it at many grocery stores in the USA.

½ lb spaghetti

2 t sea salt

¼ cup the best quality extra-virgin olive oil

2 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 (10-oz) carton of cherry tomatoes, cut in half or sun ripened off the vine tomatoes

Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 large bunch basil and more for garnish

Grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In a large pot with boiling water, add the 2 teaspoons of sea salt.

Turn down heat, cover with a lid and let simmer until ready to boil your pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-low heat, add olive oil and sauté garlic for 1 minute only.

Add tomatoes and sauté, while stirring, until you see the juices come out of the tomatoes, about 5 minutes.  

Season with salt and pepper, add the bunch of torn basil leaves and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes.

Gently mash tomatoes with a potato masher until desired consistency.

Meanwhile, return water to boil and cook spaghetti for 10 to 13 minutes, or until al dente.

Remove with tongs or pasta fork to skillet with tomato sauce.

Add a little of the pasta cooking water.

Toss with tongs until pasta is completely coated with sauce.

Add a tablespoon or two of grated cheese, several pieces of torn basil, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Buon appetito!

Serves 2

SPUMONI BISCOTTI

Spumoni biscotti are definitely an Italian-American invention. I made them the old-school way using maraschino cherries, but you can use either dried cherries, dried cranberries, or fresh cranberries. They will last for several weeks, stored in an airtight container. They aren't too sweet and are perfect for dipping into coffee. 

3 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 t almond extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 t baking powder

½ t baking soda

¼ t salt

1 cup shelled, unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped

1 cup drained maraschino cherries, patted dry with paper towels & cut in half

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the eggs, sugar, and almond extract until light and fluffy. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the mixer, while it is running.

With a wooden spoon, gently stir in the pistachios and cherries.

Shape dough with lightly floured hands into 2 logs of 10 by 3 inches. 

Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes. 

Slice into ½ inch slices and lay on sides. 

Reduce oven to 300 degrees F and bake for 12 minutes. 

Carefully flip them over and bake another 12 minutes.

Cool completely before serving or storing in an airtight container.

CAST IRON SKILLET FACACCIA

You don't need fancy equipment to make a focaccia for 2. . .just a bowl and an 8-inch cast iron skillet.

Ready in 45 minutes.

½ cup warm water (105 to 110 degrees F)

1 t instant dry yeast

1 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 t sea salt 

½ T extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced, pressed, or thinly sliced

Cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Rosemary

1 T extra-virgin olive oil

Flaky salt or sea salt

In a medium size bowl, add the warm water and whisk in the yeast.

Set aside for 5 minutes for yeast mixture to get foamy.

Add olive oil, flour, and sea salt.

With a wet hand, fold dough several times in bowl, about 2 minutes.

Add ½ tablespoon olive oil to an 8-inch cast iron skillet, spreading it around with your hands on the entire skillet.

Pick up the dough with your oiled hands and place in the skillet.

Lightly spread with fingers, cover with a pizza pan and let rise in a warm spot for 30 minutes.

While dough is rising, preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Remove pizza pan and using finger tips, make holes in dough and add garlic, tomatoes, and rosemary.

Drizzle with last tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Wait a few minutes before cutting into slices.

Serves 2 to 4